Angel of Music
by Checkmate 24601
Summary: Of all the responses Ukitake waited for, he certainly did not expect this one.  "Are you my Angel of Music?"


**A/N **Here is the weaving of two of my favourite things: musicals (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) with Bleach. Be warned: this story will depart from the main storyline. I'm not certain whether I will make a sequel or not. That will depend on your reviews! *Smiles*

**Angel of Music**

The scene they arrived at was a bloodbath.

The Hollows had made short work of this shopping district in the human world. Glass and steel littered the pavement while the hiss of an exploded fire hydrant merely added to the cacophony of screams and shouts of panicking pedestrians as they sped away from the explosions. Eyebrows furrowed, Ukitake Juushiro immediately took in the scene and issued orders.

"Rank-and-file, dispatch the weaker Hollows! Kaien, back me up!"

"Hai Taichou!" the chorus of voices responded. Shunpoing to the largest Hollow, the white-haired Captain and his fukutaichou simultaneously attacked the arachnid-like Negative, Kaien from the front and Ukitake from behind. Though confused, the Hollow lasted far longer than expected. Finally slicing the beast through into quarters, Ukitake landed gracefully before nearly doubling over with a series of coughs.

"Ukitake-taichou," Kaien noted worriedly as he approached his Captain who waved him off with a tired smile.

"I am just winded, Kaien. There's nothing to worry about." Straightening, the head of the thirteenth division grimaced. Although the common Hollow was easy to destroy for Shinigamis, humans were a different matter entirely, easily suffering harm from the mundane property damage to the fatal, irreparable sort – death. It did not help that they could not see the threats; very few can unless their reiatsu was strong enough. "Search for survivors," Ukitake called out. Given the scale of the wreckage, there was not much hope for any survivors. Shinigamis can only help ease their transition to the Afterlife.

"Ach, huh… huh…" Ukitake sharply turned towards his left, locating the shallow coughing and inhaling, exhaling sounds to be coming from a collapsed wall. Grunting, he lifted the debris aside, coughing once more from the cloud of smoke it raised. Squinting through the dust, his eyes widened as he caught sight of a small bundle of orange and yellow. Jumping into the pit, he carefully cradled the small child in his arms, attempting not to jostle her for fear of exacerbating any wounds. Regaining the surface, he called out, "Get a fourth division member over here at once!"

This child was too young to die. She could not be more than eleven years old. Ukitake glanced anxiously at the Shinigami who came, handing control over to him. With the most unusual hair colour reminding Ukitake of sunrises, a small lithe body and gazelle-like legs, the girl looked like a tiny kitten in the midst of growth. '_Please let her live, please let her live.' _It would be simply wrong for such a young soul who has barely begun to live to be snatched away from Life, entirely unfair.

However, any hopes Ukitake harboured were crushed when the healer looked up at him and shook his head.

"She can't be saved. She has more than half a foot in Death's valley, but she has a strong soul. She probably has a few moments more." The captain could say nothing more as his heart bitterly clenched, and the healer bowed his exit to take care of other casualties. Ukitake sensed Kaien's presence behind him. To the unasked question, he shook his head, hearing a morose sigh in response.

Attention shifting, Ukitake focused on the stirring little girl. When she opened her eyes, he was floored by the expressive, strange gray-amethyst orbs, which met his gaze and widened in surprise. _Hair like sunrise, and eyes the colour of rain…_

"It's alright, little one. I won't hurt you. You're safe." Individuals on the brink of death would be able to see shinigamis. The majority was often frightened and confused. The rare few who enthusiastically embraced death, well, they posed no problems generally. But of all the responses Ukitake was waiting for, he certainly did not expect this one.

"Are you my Angel of Music?"

Her voice was breathy, like pathos and dreams combined.

Stunned, he managed to reply, "No little one. I can't really sing." Immediately after the words left him, Ukitake cringed. She was young, perhaps he shouldn't have rejected her imagination so easily. Expecting tears or disappointment at the very least, Ukitake found himself once again caught off guard by the thoughtful gaze the child leveled at him. _A gaze that spoke of understanding beyond her years… _

"You look like an angel though," she smiled finally, one of her hands reaching to touch his white hair before taking note of her grimy, slightly bleeding hand and retracting it before making contact. He caught the small bird-like, fragile hand within his own larger one, smiling at her. Any other occasion, the thought of a shinigami being perceived as an angel would have made him laugh; he settled for smiling at the little girl. _Of course, his unusual white hair and white haori might give that impression…_

"Are you here to take me to Sora-nii-chan, Angel?" Ukitake blinked. _How to explain to such a young, innocent soul about the process of Soul Society? _Swallowing hard, he settled for a small lie.

"Yes, little one." He frowned as she gasped from pain; no doubt, the fallen wall had broken more than a few of her bones. The spreading crimson on her chest suggested that some may have pierced her lungs. Biting his lip to drive away the spike of warmth behind his eyes, Ukitake tried to divert her attention. "What is your name?"

She smiled once more at him. _She would have blossomed into a beauty, _Ukitake's subconscious whispered.

"Orihime." She drew a deeper breath. "My name is Orihime." _Weaving princess. How fitting. _

"Did your brother give you that beautiful name?" he asked gently, shifting her body so she could lie more comfortably, head tucked against his chest.

"Yes." _Radiance from a wilting flower, a dying star… _"He told me when he passed away two years ago that he will send me…an Angel of Music," Orihime gasped out. "That I must keep working on my singing because… huh…one day, I will sing for onii-chan again. And I would hear him play the violin, accompanying me…" Orihime coughed, a contraction wracking her whole body.

Ukitake tried to keep his composure, rubbing small circles on the girl's forearms. "Shh…you are tired. Maybe talking hurts." A drop of water touched his hand, followed by another and another. Gazing upwards, both Ukitake and Orihime took in the rain.

"It's raining." Orihime raised her hands to catch the glimmering droplets. Turning towards the captain, she smiled. _How can she still smile? How can she be so strong? _"Rain can't hurt me now." Ukitake took in the brightening eyes as Orihime pursed her lips, weighing something within her before speaking.

"May I sing for you, Angel?"

Wary of her growing pain and fading reiatsu, Ukitake paused. There is no further harm in allowing her final request.

"Alright, little one. I will listen." Beaming, Orihime shifted her posture slightly. '_Preparation,' _Ukitake's mind supplied. Inhaling deeply, she parted her lips.

"Don't you fret, dear Angel.

I don't feel any pain."

_Ukitake marveled at the musical quality of the young timbre. _

"A little fall of rain

can hardly hurt me now.

You're here, that's all I need to know.

And you will keep me safe,

And you will keep me close,

And rain will make the flowers grow."

_Her voice has drawn attention from the rest of the Shinigami, who stopped to glance their way. The uninjured ones listening in slight wonder at the warm voice._

"This rain will wash away what's past.

And you will me safe,

And you will keep me close,

I'll sleep in your embrace at last."

_Ukitake tightened his arms around Orihime. Some angel he was to be comforted by a child who was hurt and dying. _Carding his fingers through her hair, he listened on.

"The rain that brings you here  
>Is Heaven-blessed!<br>The skies begin to clear  
>And I'm at rest.<p>

A breath away from where you are  
>I've come home from so far."<p>

A convulsion wracked Orihime's petite frame, greedily stealing the little colour that remained on her cheeks. Ukitake briefly closed his eyes, wishing that he could just take away her pain. She was gripping his arms, almost desperately.

"So don't you fret, my dear Angel.

I don't feel any pain.

A little of rain can hardly hurt me now."

Orihime's breaths were noticeably raspier now. Ukitake sensed Kaien shifting helplessly behind him. The very word 'shinigami' spelled death, but that did not mean it was as easy to accept as some souls in Seireitei thought. At least for Ukitake, it never grew easier…

"You're here, that's all I need to know.

And you will keep me safe…

And you will keep me close,

And rain…huh, huh…"

Orihime gasped, swallowing air like an injured bird

"… will make the flowers..."

There was a sudden sound of snapping metal.

It jarred everyone of the small reverie they had entered from listening to a young girl's final song. Ukitake swallowed hard before lowering his eyes.

The chain that bound Orihime to Life has been severed. The grey of the chain, her butter-yellow dress and the red of her blood blurred together hazily. Blinking, Ukitake finally recognized that he was crying. His hands were trembling from the effort of his silent sobs as well.

He gazed fondly on Orihime, lips still slightly parted as though to sing while her head has tipped into the crook of his arm. With her eyes closed and the rain crowning her hair like seed pearls, she did look like a sleeping princess… _a sleeping Weaving Princess._

Kaien looked up in shock at his captain, at what he just said.

"Grow" Ukitake whispered, tucking Orihime's head beneath his chin.

_He has finished her incomplete song… however inadequately done it was. _

Burying his face in her orange, silky tresses, he rocked the child back and forth as though she were still alive. Everyone saw the slight shaking of his shoulders though no sound was heard.

They didn't need to.

His reiatsu flooded sorrow.

Was it just minutes later? It felt like an eternity, and yet too short a time, to Ukitake as he finally detached himself from _his_ small angel of music. Gently pressing the hilt of _Sogyou no Kotawari _to Orihime's forehead, he watched as she disappeared in a small shower of orange sparks.

He murmured something.

"Taichou?" Kaien asked tentatively.

"I'll find her." His vice-captain gaped at him in surprise. "I'll find her if that's the last thing I'll do," Ukitake vowed firmly despite his hoarse voice.

_Whether she'll be in the slums of Rukongai or Inuzuri, he will search for her, regardless of his health. Having lived so little, it was too cruel for her to die like this. _

_He wanted to hear her sing once more. Singing more than just a Last Song…_

"_Wait for me, little one. Keep singing until I find you…"_

A/N Please review! Please review! I do not own Bleach or the Phantom of the Opera or Les Miserables (_unfortunately…) _

The song 'A Little Fall of Rain' is sung by Eponine in Les Miserables. Go Lea Salonga! The idea of the Angel of Music was taken from the Phantom of the Opera.


End file.
